Method of and machine for forming glassware



G. HOWARD METHOD OF AND MACHINE FOR FORMING GLASSWARE June 6, 1 939.

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Patented June 5, 1939 PATENT OFFICE METHOD OF AND MACHINE FOR FORMINGGLASSWARE George E. Howard, Butler, Pas assignor to Hartford-EmpireCompany, Hartford, Conn., a corporation of Delaware Application October9, 1936, Serial No. 104,820

This invention relates to methods of and machines for forming glasswareaccording to the well known narrow neck method and the invention hasparticular relation to the method of and means for forming the blanks orparisons in the manufacture of bottles and other containers. The -blanksreferred to usually are formed by delivering a charge of glass from afeeder to a blank mold unit, compacting or settling the v 0 charge andthen counterblowing the compacted charge to produce a hollow blank. Inthe patent to George E. Rowe, No. 2,043,065, granted June 2, 1936, amethod of forming blanks is described and claimed which involvesreheating the blank between the settle blowing and counterblowingoperations by cracking the blank. mold in the interval between thoseoperations to permit the heat in the glass to equalize. The purpose ofthis is to make more homogeneous the skin previously formed on thesettled blank by the chilling effect of the mold, with the result thatthe expension in counterblowing is substantially uniform and the settlewave produced in prior methods is reduced or eliminated.

The general object of the present invention is to provide an improvementupon the method of the Rowe patent and also to provide mechanism ofnovel character for perforining the improved method."

A more specific object of the invention is to provide a novel method andnovel means by the employment of which the settled blank is reheated bycracking the blank mold while pinching of the blank is prevented. Whenthe settled blank reheats, it may happen that the glass settles orslumps beyond the confines of the blank mold to such an extent that itmay be pinched in the joints of the blank mold as it is closed inpreparation for counterblowing. This pinching of the glass causes finsor seams to be formed on the blank which remain as defects in thefinished article. The purpose of my invention is to pre vent orguardagainst such defects. I

Accordingly it is an object of this invention to provide a novel methodand novel meanswherein the settled blank is caused to occupy a largerspace in the mold after it is reheated than it does when it has justbeen compacted. This insures clearance of the reheated settled blank bythe blank mold as it is closed and thus avoids pinching of the glass inthe mold joints.

Other objects of the invention will be pointed out hereinafter or willbecome apparent from the following description or from'the drawingswherein;

. application of air through blowhead 23.

Figures 1' to 4 inclusive depict successive stages in one mode ofpracticing the novel method;

Figs. 5 to 8 depict another mode of carrying out the novel method;

Fig. 9 is a view in longitudinal vertical sectional elevation of anarrow neck machine embodying the invention;

' Fig. 10 is a view in top plan of a portion of the machine shown inFig. 9, parts being broken awayfor clarity in illustration;

' Fig. 11 is an enlarged view in top plan showing in detail a portion ofthe transfer mechanism;

Fig. 12 is a view in longitudinal vertical section on line l2--|2 ofFig. 11;

Fig. 13 is a view in vertical transverse section of the neck pin andneck mold elevating mechanism;

Fig. 14 is a horizontal sectional plan'view on the line l4-H of Fig. 13;and

Fig. 15 is a view in vertical section on the line l5l5 of Fig. 10.

In Figs. 1 to 8 inclusive, the use of my inven-- tion in the narrow neckprocess is illustrated in two ways, Figs. 1 to 4- inclusive showing theemployment of the novel method in the production of typical narrow neckglassware and Figs. 5 to 8 inclusive the application of the novel methodto the manufacture of semi-wide mouth or wide mouth glassware by thenarrow neck method.

Considering the first mode,-the inverted blank,

mold I 6 of the sectional type is shown closed in cooperativerelationwith the usual sectional neck F mold I1 and having neck pin mechanism I8associated therewith. This mechanism I8 in- 'cludes neck pin l9 andother parts which need the intermediate mold 2| serves to form the neckof the blank immediately adjoining the neck finish. This also is shownin Fig. 2 which depicts the blank after it has been compacted by the Themold 2| preferably is rounded as indicated at 24 to constrict the blankfor a purpose which is described below;

It will be observed that the'blank mold cavity is tapered downwardlytoward the neck finish and thus forms a blank, the body of which has aninverted frusto-conical shape. This is in accordance with the usualpractice in the art in the manufacture of typical narrow neck ware.Consequently, relative movement can be efiected between the settled lankand the blank mold and my invention utilizes this shape of the blank, aswill now be explained, to avoid pinching the 1 blank between the jointsof the blank mold.

After the blank is compacted as shown in Fig.

2, the blank mold may be cracked and the mold 2| opened wide to reheatthe glass for the purposes and with the advantages described above.

Under certain conditions the blank may settle or slump to such an extentthat it will be pinched by the blank mold when the mold is reclosed.This shaping is likely to produce a bulge immediately adjacent the neckmold because the full tion near the neck mold when the glass is settledweight of the blank is above this point. or because it is the lowestpoint down to which the reheated glass may fiowby gravity. The formationof such a bu ge and other deformation of the settled blankis very likelyto result in pinching the blank.

To prevent pinching under such conditions, the intermediate mold 2|serves to form a constricor compacted by air pressure delivered throughblowhead 22. The constriction fills out more or less during reheatingand under prrper conditions and control, and with the proper design ofthe mold 2| the filling out of the constriction will leaveanuninterrupted surface, that is, there will be neither a constrictionnor a bulge of sumcient size to cause pinching. M

However, other bulging or distortion of the reheated glass may occur andto insure that there will be no pinching of this glass my' inventionincludes the step of efi'ecting a change in the position of the blankwithin the blank mold before the blank mold is closed? In theformillustrated in Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive, this change in position isinwardly or upwardly of the blank mold cavity and may be accomplishedeither by lowering the. blank mold or ra sing the neck mold and theblank supported thereby or by a combination of such movements. It ispreferred, however, simply to elevate the entire neck forming mechanismand neck mold for this purpose. This change i i position of the blankmoves the blank farther into the blank mold, and leaves a clearance asindica ed at 25, Fig. 3,'due to the downward taper of the blank moldcavity. The

amount 01' clearance will depend upon the thickness of mold 2| becausethe neck mold and blank mold must be engaged for the counterblowing tionformed by mold 2| will be eliminated as shown in Fig.- 4.

Considering the tom of, the method shown in Figs. 5 to 8 inclusive,these figures illustrate blank forming devices'ior shaping ablank for ascrew threaded semi-wide mouth container.

This requires a relatively short blank mold I 6a and the cavity in thismold may be tapered upwardly to form an upwardly tapered blank. The neckmold is shown at I'Ia, the neck pin mechanism at I 8a, the neck pin atIlia. An intermediate mold 2| a, funnel 22a and combined settle 5blowhead and bottom closure 23a,a1so are provided.

As distinguished from the procedure in Figs. 1 to 4, the blank mold IGaand neck mold "(1 are engaged and the intermediate mold 2Ia held 10 openfor the delivery of a charge of glass as illustrated in Fig. 5, and thesettling of the'charge as shown in Fig. 6. When the settle blowing orcompacting operation is completed and while the blank mold is crackedfor reheating the 15 blank, the blank mold and neck mold are separatedto move the blank out of the blank mold sufliciently to permit theintermediate mold 2Ia to be closed in assembled relation with said blankand neck molds, as shown in Fig. '7. As a result, 20 a clearance spaceis provided as indicated at 25c. The blank mold may be raised or theneck mold and associated parts lowered, or these operations combined toefiect' the above mentioned separation'of neck mold and blank mold.

With the use of an intermediate mold of the proper thickness in relationto the design of the blank mold, the clearance provided will'be sumcientto avoid pinching a relatively short and upwardly tapered blank.

With the parts in assembledrelation as shown in Fig. 8, the blank iscounterblown, the intermediate mold 2| serving in this instance to forma portion of the finished blank. A

My novel method may be carried out by any 3 well-known type of narrowneck machine suitably modified to perform automatically the steps of themethod. By way of illustration, and not in limitation of the invention,there has been shown in Figs. 9 to 15 inclusive the Hartford individualsection machine and attachments and modifications therein to adapt suchmachine to the automatic performance of the form of the methodillustrated in Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive.

This machine is widely used in the art and is disclosed in United StatesPatent No. 1,911,119, granted May 23, 1933 to Henry W. Ingle, and henceonly so much of said machine is illustrated in the drawings as isnecessary to enable one skilled in the art readily to understand the,em- 5 bodiment of the present invention therein.

Referring to Fig. 9, the blank mold is shown at I6c, the neck mold atlie, the neck pin mechanism at I and the neck pin at I90. At 2Ic isfound the-intermediate mold which is con-' 5 v stricted as indicated at240. The funnel and settle blowhead are omitted, being fully shown inthe patent to Ingle.

The sections of the blank mold are carried by vertical post 26 aboutwhich they, swing in 60 opening and closing. An air cylinder 21 .con-

guide rod 33-50 that by turning a nut 34 on a 7.

screw 35 which supports the slide, the position of the mold holders29--29 may be adjusted to accommodate molds of different heights.-

Slide 32 also carries air cylinder 36 which, through yoke 31 and links38 (Figs. 9, 10 and 7;

' aromas into alignment with a blow mold shown at 16.

15), opens and closes the intermediate mold 2Ic. To provide for changingthe position of the blank in the blank mold after reheating to avoidpinching, the blank mold being cracked and the intermediate mold openedwide, means are provided whereby the neck mold" and the settled blankand the neck pin mechanism are elevated until the neck mold touches thebottom of the blank mold.

Referring first to Fig. 13, it will be observed that the neck-pinmechanism comprises a cylinder 88 which contains piston 4| for raisingthe thimble 42 and which is forced downwardly by a spring 43. Withinpiston 4| is another piston. ll urged downwardly by spring 45 andadapted to operate neck pin I80. The cylinder 88 contains air passagesfor the admission and exhaust of air pressure to operate pistons 4| and44 and for the admission of air in counterblow- 2o ing the blanks, allas clearly shown in Fig. 13.

To adapt the neck pin mechanism to molds of difierent heights and tosupport the neck mold at the desired level, the neck pin mechanism I8cis made bodilyadjustable up or down by the threaded stud 46 on the.bottom of cylinder 38. Stud 46 is carried in nut 41 having gear 68formed thereon with whichpinion 46 is slidably in mesh. Pinion 48 isformed on shaftll which is adapted to be rotated by the bevel gears 52,5 3, which in turn are operated by means nut 41. The neck pin mechanismis held against rotation by a feather 56 which engages a slot in pad 55.Consequently, the entire mechanism I8c is adjusted up or down, asdesired, by the rotation of shaft 5|.

The neck. pin mechanism I8c is periodically raised and lowered to engagethe neck mold with the blank mold and to thereafter lower the neck moldfor the transfer of a completed blank and subsequent closing ofintermediate mold 2Ic, by piston 56 in which nut 41 is rotatably fitted,as shown, and which is contained in piston 51. Piston 56 is held againstrotation by pin 68 received therein.

In-addition to the adjustment of the lower position of the neck pinmechanism, means are provided for adjustably predetermining the strokeof piston 56 and hence the uppermost position of the mechanism, neckmold and blank in accordance with the height of the intermediate mold2|c. Such means include a stop collar 68 on rod 6| pinned in the tubularextension 62 of piston 56 and a stop '68 slidably keyed to rod 6| bykey64. Stop 63 'is adjusted up or down by a collar 65 in which it isthreaded. This collar is rotated by bevel gear 66 thereon in mesh.

with bevel gear 61 on shaft 68. Shaft 68 has a squared end 68 forengagement by a key or wrench to effect the desired adjustment of thestroke of piston 56.

Looking at Figs. 9 and 10, it will be apparent that the neck mold couldnot be raised and lowered in a straight line path without-tilting,

7 the blank from the position shown in 9 for the purpose of raising theblank in the neck This transfer mechanism and its operation are morefully described in the patent to Ingle referred to above.

Accordingly, my invention makes provision for vertical movement of thetransfer arms ||-|I independently of the cylinders II-I2 to which theyare connected. 'As shown in Figs. 10, 11' and 12, each arm 'II isslidably mounted on a guide 11 which, in turn, is adjustably secured toa cylinder 12 by means of clamp I8 and bolt 18. Loosening of bolt 18permits the guide and transfer' arm to be adjusted for molds ofdifferent heights. Each transfer arm is yieldingly held-in assembledrelation with its guide 11 by means of a compressioncspring 8|, which bybearing at its lower end on a lug 82 of arm 'II and at its upper endagainst lug 83 on guide 11, yieldingly holds a stop 84 against the topof lug 83.

Consequently, each arm can be raised and lowered relative to itscylinder 12, but is so connected thereto that the arms serve theirnormal function as a mold carrier and oscillating transfer device.

The transfer arms 'II II are raised and lowered by the raising andlowering of the neck pin mechanism, not only by the engagement of saidmechanism with the neck mold, but by bifurcated lifter 85 which iscarried by rod 66 in lugs 81-81 on the neck pin mechanism I80, andengaging each of the arms |I'|I adjacent and almost beneath each spring8| to insure that these springs will be compressed and the holders movedvertically and rectilinearly instead of being oscillated or tilted.

It has not been deemed necessary to describe the distribution of airpressure to the various cylinders because it will be understood thatthis is controlled by a timer 88 and valve mechanism 88 in a manner,which will become apparent from the above mentioned Ingle patent takenin conjunction with the above description.

This invention is not to be considered as limited to the specificembodiments described herein except in so far as may be required by theexpress terms of the appended claims. Various changes in the method andapparatus may be made without departing from the scope of the claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to'secure byLetters Patent is:

1. The method of forming blanks .by the narrow neck method whichcomprises forming a tapered blank in a tapered ,blank mold, cracking theblank mold between compacting and counterblowing operations to reheatthe settled blank, and eflecting relative axial movement between theblank and the blank mold to produce in eifect movement of the blanktoward the large end 01' the blank mold to separate and leave aclearance between the blank and the blank mold whereby the pinching ofthe blank by the closing of the blank mold is prevented.

2. The method of forming blanks by the narrow neck method whichcomprises forming a tapered blank in a blank mold tapered toward theneck of the blank, cracking the blank mold between compacting andcounterblowin'g operations to reheat the blank, and moving the blankaxially in the blank mold toward the large end of the latter to providea clearance whereby pinching of the blank by the closing of the blanktween compacting and counterblowing operations to reheat the blank,axially separating the blank mold and neck mold to move the blank towardthe large end of the tapered blank mold to provide a clearance betweenthe blank and blank mold and thus prevent pinching of the blank when theblank mold is closed, and closing an intermediate mold about the settledblank prior to the counterblowing operation.

4. The method of forming glassware by the narrow neck method whichcomprises forming a 5. The method of forming glassware by the narrowneck method which comprises delivering a charge of glass to andcompacting it in a tapered blank mold, a neck mold and an intermediatemold which is shaped to form a temporary constriction in the blank,cracking the blank mold and removing the intermediate mold to reheat theblank, then, while the blank is held by the neck mold, engaging the neckmold and blank mold to move the blank axially toward the large end ofthe tapered mold to provide a clearance between the blank and the blankmold when the latter is closed, whereby pinching of the blank by closingthe blank mold is prevented, and thereafter counterblowing the blank inthe blank mold.

6. In a narrow neck machine comprising a blank mold and a neck mold,means to open and close the blank and neck molds, an intermediate moldadapted to be closed in assembled relation with the blank mold and neckmold, means for opening and closing the intermediate mold, and means foreffecting relative axial movement between the blank mold and neck moldwhen the intermediate mold and blank mold are open to change theposition of a blank within the blank mold.

7. In a narrow neck machine comprising a tapered blank mold and a neckmold, an intermediate mold, means for opening the intermediate mold andfor closing it in assembled relation with the blank mold and neck mold,said intermediate mold being. shaped to provide a constriction in ablank adjacent the neck finish thereof, means for cracking the blankmold to reheat the blank, and means for efiecting relative axialmovement between the blank and blank mold to move the blank toward thelarge end of the blank mold to provide a clearance therebetween and thusprevent pinching of the blank when the blank mold is closed.

8. In a narrow neck machine comprising a tapered blank mold a blow moldand a neck mold, means including an arm for oscillating and invertingthe neck mold to transfer a blank, means for cracking the blank mold toreheat the blank prior to transfer thereof, and means providing forvertical movement of said neck mold independently of its oscillatorymovement and axially of the blank mold so as to move the blank towardthe large end of the blank mold whereby pinching of the blank by theclosing of the blank mold is prevented.

GEORGE E. HOWARD.

